Marvel Turns Big-Name Heroes Into A-Holes

Starting in November, everything you know about the Marvel Universe is about to be flipped upside down.

Marvel Entertainment revealed during a conference call with reporters that the second act of its upcoming Axis event, titled “Inversion,” will see its heroes and villains switch sides in what Marvel is describing as “the recalibration of the Marvel Universe’s moral compass.”

Writer Rick Remender explained that the moral inversion is “not as cut and dry as &lsquogood guy becomes super bad guy,’ ” instead saying that “inverting the characters shows you the antithesis of what they normally are, which shines a light on their character.” As part of the event, Bruce Banner will become “Kluh,” described as “the blackest, darkest, most evil thing &hellip the Hulk’s Hulk,” while Tony Stark will revert from the morally upright Iron Man to “who he used to be [as an arms manufacturer], somewhat,” the writer explained.

It’s not just the heroes who will be affected. Two already-announced spinoffs from the main Axis title featuring Spider-Man nemeses Carnage and Hobgoblin will see those characters attempt to seek redemption for their past acts, according to Marvel executive editor Tom Brevoort.

According to Remender, the “Inversion” act will also impact Marvel’s X-Men franchise significantly, teasing “what the X-Men do in this event is not something the world can forget any time soon.”

Overall, “Inversion” will feature changes that Marvel are promising won’t be ignored as soon as the story’s done (Indeed, the storyline sets up the new status quo for Marvel’s new Iron Man and Thor series). “The promise of an event this big has to be lasting ramifications that lead to more big stories,” Remender said. “Axis will lead to a whole new book I am writing with a number of characters who are very changed from this story. The inversion isn’t going to be completely wrapped up with a perfect bow.”

Avengers/X-Men: Axis launches in October, with the “Inversion” arc beginning with November’s fourth issue of the series.